Congratulations
by Bookquoting-machine
Summary: A quick Solangelo one-shot. Non-demigod AU.


"Is this seat taken?"

Nico looked up at the bare feet ahead of him. He was hesitant to continue this journey, but slowly let his eyes trail up the body before him.

It was a boy, who looked to be around his age with blond hair and blue eyes. He smiled somewhat shyly down at him, his toes curling in the sand as he waited for a response.

"No," Nico stuttered. "They're all too cold."

The boy raised an eyebrow, but drifted down onto the swing to Nico's right.

Nico had come out to the playground for some fresh air. His house was right next door and he had planned to go back in in a minute or two, but now he would feel bad if he left right away. He didn't want this boy to think he didn't want to hang out with him.

"My cousins," Nico explained. "They're staying at my family's house, but they wouldn't come out here and swing with me. They think it's too cold outside."

The boy nodded in understanding, kicking his legs slightly to rock him back and forth on the swing.

"What's your name?" he asked.

Nico hesitated to answer. I mean, he was just approached by a random guy late at night. But then again, the boy was about his age and seemed pretty sweet. And if he was a murderer, Nico's house was a ten second run away, so his chances of making it were pretty good.

"Nico." He held his hand out to shake politely.

The boy smiled. "Will," he answered to his own question.

Nico nodded as they pulled their hands away and settled into silence again on the swingset.

"How old are you, Nico?"

Normally Nico wouldn't enjoy the awkwardness of starting a conversation with a stranger. He didn't even like starting conversations with his cousins, whom he's known for years. However, something about talking to Will was comfortable. Enjoyable even.

"I'm turning fifteen in a couple of weeks. And you?"

Will nodded. "I turn fifteen today."

"Congratulations," slipped from Nico's mouth before he could stop it.

Will was once again lost by the strange response of the dark haired boy.

"Congratulations? On making it to fifteen? I'm pretty sure most people do."

Nico chuckled, but Will noticed his shoulders drop slightly. "You'd be surprised."

The boys continued to talk for what seemed like an hour, before Nico's family called him back inside. Will was just sly enough to snag the boy's phone number before he left.

"So I can congratulate you when you reach my age," Will explained with a wink.

Nico stumbled through the day quietly, hoping none of his cousins had told anyone what the day was.

It wasn't that Nico was embarrassed by his birthday or his cousins. It was simply the fact that people half heartedly telling you happy birthday all day was repetitive and pointless to him. After three or four times, a 'happy birthday!' lost its value.

When he finally got home, he walked straight to his room to check his phone. It was low on battery that morning so he opted to leave it on the charger during the school day.

He had four new messages. Two from his Aunt Sally, one from his cousin Thalia who was off at college, and…

 _Congratulations! You made it to 15!_

Nico's face lit up at Will's name and couldn't help but appreciate the break from an endless stream of birthday wishes.

"Congratulations," Nico said, gift in hand.

Will looked somewhat shocked. "I didn't tell you when it was," he hesitated.

Nico smiled. "We met on your birthday, remember?"

A grin slowly spread across Will's face as he reminisced on the day he met Nico. "I can't believe that was only a year ago."

Nico could understand the feeling, and he slowly slid his fingers into his new boyfriend's palm. "I'd never forget."

It was a tradition from then on, every year to skip the boring happy birthday's and simply congratulate the other for making it this long.

And as they grew up, they began to anticipate it, even in things that weren't birthdays, but it never lost its value.

"Congratulations," Will says when Nico blows out his 20 candles.

"Congratulations," Nico slips when Will graduated.

"Congrats," Nico sarcastically responds when Will breaks his arm and is stuck in the hospital.

"Congratulations," Will smirks when Nico slides on his engagement ring at 26.

"Congratulations," Will says with a sad smile on his face. "You almost made it to 27." He drops the flowers in front of his fiance's gravestone and walks away.


End file.
